Hntnaz Report post Posted January 20, 2023 Got drawn for bull bison in the spring. I will be calling Russ Jacoby and hopefully get to pick his brain and learn some new stuff about this once in a life time hunt. Figured I would see if anybody else had some good insight. I will be taking the entire hunt off if need be. Thanks for any help! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanley Report post Posted January 20, 2023 Welcome to the site. LOTS of varying opinions about the hunt up on the Kiabab and Russ, too! Awesome that you can take the entire hunt off. I had a fall cow tag 2 1/2 years ago, and several other folks on this board have also had bison tags. I used Russ's 'partially' guided option, and was happy with the service I received. I also spent time scouting and doing some 'ride along' time with Russ's crew during the summer prior to the hunt. In addition, several guys on this site were VERY generous in sharing experience and information (and in once case even sharing access to cameras when they were still legal...). Ended-up being VERY lucky and killing one on the first day. Send me a note if you want to chat. Hopefully some other guys will chime-in here, too. S. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted January 21, 2023 I did my cow hunt diy. Made sure to get in way early to my spot before guided hunters show up but that was before multiple guides were guiding up there. Now I think guys will likely be getting into blinds super early and even possibly sleeping in blinds overnight to have dibs for a spot (not technically legal if within quarter mile of water since it could be considered "camping"). If you go diy expect guided hunters to show up with you and not leave. It sucks but it's a very real possibility. It was definitely possible before but honestly now it can turn into a real shitshow. See some of the earlier threads here... Same situation came up and a guy pulled a gun on video. Pretty sure the video got deleted but you get my point. Also if you go diy and are driving roads and whatnot the guides will not like it, it might sound alarmist but bring spare tires and a chainsaw. If you are a man of means and can throw money at it I might actually consider going guided, and I never ever suggest people going guided. But this hunt is sort of a wildcard hunt. As stated earlier there are multiple guides jockeying for position and this is relatively new so nobody's real sure what the hunts up there are really gonna be like yet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UggRedBilly Report post Posted January 21, 2023 2 hours ago, Hntnaz said: Got drawn for bull bison in the spring. I will be calling Russ Jacoby and hopefully get to pick his brain and learn some new stuff about this once in a life time hunt. Figured I would see if anybody else had some good insight. I will be taking the entire hunt off if need be. Thanks for any help! Russ is awesome. Do tye co-op hunt. It's free. You are by yourself the whole time. But you meet with other hunters and kinda work together on who goes where. No spots are really better than others. Especially now that you can't use cams they don't really know how often bison come off that park border. But he will help you and all other tag holders. Also will help a ton when you tag a bison too! Great group of people! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpotNStalk Report post Posted January 22, 2023 Russ at best is ok. I speak from my own experience and dealings with. He does have most of that area on lockdown. With or without cameras the time and his crew spend up there along with the amount of blinds and salt he has I dont think he really needs cameras to know the Buffaloes pattern moving off the park. The coop isn’t a bad gig but know that the paid clients get the “good spots” and you will be sent else where. Its hunting you never know but it helps to know they are hitting a particular area or salt and that’s where his clients will be. I started in the coop and then a few of us decided it wasn’t for us. The 3 of us killed Bulls. I’ve read quite a few posts before and after my hunt with guys talking about not putting in up there cause of the BS! I say thx cause I/family/friends will take the tag. If you can hunt and you hunt your way you will get your chance at a Bull/Cow. It’s your tag don’t allow any guide up there to dictate where you go or how you should hunt and be respectful to the other hunters you will be successful. In the beginning the Buffalo on the plateau usually come off the park in a pattern based on snow melt and the want/need for salt. I had this hunt a few years ago and have been apart of a hunt one way or another every year since . There is more salt in areas then they are marked on maps you’ll see unless you pay to play. There are shenanigans that do go on up there while your not looking but if you put in the work you’ll get it done. Take a lot of pics during the hunt and with your bull! good luck 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hntnaz Report post Posted January 24, 2023 Thanks for the info everyone, I really appreciate it. I'm gonna hope everyone ends up being real cool and not worry to much about the politics of it all. I'll definitely hit up the co-op and hopefully get time to check the salts and waters my self as well for good measure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hunting Fool Report post Posted January 24, 2023 Stay far far away from Ned Flanders (Russ). He thinks he owns the buffalo up there and is a pain in the A$$ for sure 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted January 24, 2023 A note to those who try the co op and then decide it's not for them. Before my hunt I coordinated with guys that had the tag before me. One guy did the co op and decided it wasn't for him. They ended up going on their own and got out to the salt by the park entry early. It pissed of Ned's kid and he got a bit belligerent with them and said something to the effect of if you can do what you want so can I. He went out in the meadow running around in circles to the point of redface and sweaty, then sat down right in the middle of the meadow. I was gonna post this way back when but decided not too just because I didn't wanna come off like a hater. But that was a BIG deciding factor for me to go diy and not even consider the co op. I ended up killing first morning with the help of running my own cams 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couzer Report post Posted January 24, 2023 Raymond Ranch sounds better by every post. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted January 24, 2023 20 minutes ago, Vowell said: Raymond Ranch sounds better by every post. Yeah I get that but there are areas you can glass off the palatue and maybe pull it off that way but I have no idea if that's a really viable option. Planned on doing it on a scouting trip and my starter went out and had to run up to the state line and it ended up costing me a day. Then on the actual hunt my truck broke down on the way up there and spent the night fixing it in the valley. Cost me another day.. Honestly time will tell what the the kaibab hunt looks like, I think it's still to early to say as of now but I wouldn't completely blow it off for Raymond ranch quite yet. That hunt doesn't sound too fun either. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idgaf Report post Posted January 24, 2023 For me it was 27 days of hunting. 3 minutes of excitement and 8 hours of very hard work. I did my own thing and was the second(and last) of 25 hunters to fill there tag. If I had the tag again and the whole hunt off I would investigate the west end of the area more and believe my eyes more than what people were telling me. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trphyhntr Report post Posted January 24, 2023 31 minutes ago, Vowell said: Raymond Ranch sounds better by every post. I think it’s amazing that people are actually willing to apply for a canned hunt (including myself) Over the kaibab because the reputation it’s gotten over the last few years. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhtMtnHunter Report post Posted January 25, 2023 With the snow level this year that early hunt might be tough again! Is AZGFD still running cameras up there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpotNStalk Report post Posted January 25, 2023 5 hours ago, CatfishKev said: A note to those who try the co op and then decide it's not for them. Before my hunt I coordinated with guys that had the tag before me. One guy did the co op and decided it wasn't for him. They ended up going on their own and got out to the salt by the park entry early. It pissed of Ned's kid and he got a bit belligerent with them and said something to the effect of if you can do what you want so can I. He went out in the meadow running around in circles to the point of redface and sweaty, then sat down right in the middle of the meadow. I was gonna post this way back when but decided not too just because I didn't wanna come off like a hater. But that was a BIG deciding factor for me to go diy and not even consider the co op. I ended up killing first morning with the help of running my own cams This doesn’t surprise me. Put in for it and hunt your hunt! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsotm Report post Posted January 25, 2023 Kaibab hunt sounds like a nightmare with the guides that think they own the buffalo. AZGFD really needs to do something about those clowns. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
